Cry of the captive
by Redemption Moon
Summary: At the time of ultimate chaos ; a boy is caught in the web of death and danger . Will he be strong enough to retain his faith and his pride , or will he succumb to the cruelty of his captor ? ~WWII flic~ [BxK/AxK]
1. Blietzkrieg

_R_M : Some sort of teaser for the Cry of the Captive ... it's not much , but it'll get better ! I promise . ^_^;;_

_Warning : Shonen-ai _

_Pairings : BxK , AxK (that's all for now)_

_Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply ._

† † †

" Hey , Omi ! Wake up !" A faraway voice filtered through the haze of sleep as the young blond boy stirred from his fitful slumber . He rolled over to find his friend grinning at him . 

" What time is it ?" He muttered groggily , the fact that it was still dark outside registering in his half-conscious mind . 

" Somewhere between 4 and 5 ." The brunette shrugged and grabbed his arm , yanking him none-too-gently from under his warm burrow of thick covers and pillows . 

Omi rubbed his eyes and yawned widely , staggering to his feet in response to Ken's insistent prodding .

   
" You better have a REALLY good reason for this ." He mock-glared at his friend who merely grinned in return as he struggled into warm clothes 

Omi Schmeingleis was a lanky boy of 16 , the same age as his friend , Ken Germennschaft . He was smaller than the latter , with honey-coloured hair and large blue eyes . An orphan because of Nazi death camps ( both of his parents were Jews ) , he was adopted by the Germennschafts and he soon became close to their son , Ken . 

Ken was a fairly tall boy , with chestnut brown locks , jade green eyes and a ready smile . 

Omi soon discovered that he was powerless to resist his foster brother and he always found himself bailing the brunette out of frequent dilemmas . Omi was only a few months older , but it might as well have been years because it was always he who was responsible and systematic , quite the contrary to Ken's devil-may-care and live-for-today attitude . Ken was absent-minded and rash , he would do _anything in the spur of the moment , which was why he always got himself in almost impossible situations . _

Ken half-carried and half-dragged Omi outside and soon they were trekking the vast expanse of snow-covered earth that was the property of the Germennschafts . After a twenty-minute jog , they reached the edge of a bare forest , which was bare in the weather . There were few evergreens in that area , and the scarcity of people living in the vicinity quite matched the solace come winter . 

The sky was still dark and Omi had to negotiate the tree roots , sticks , stones and various obstacles with only Ken guiding him . Ken was quite adept at skipping through the sizable forest since he spent his spare time frolicking in it , despite his parents' constant protests . He'd tried dragging Omi with him as he did now , but the latter often refused and he went alone . 

It was quite some time that they went through the forest with only companionable silence between them along with snapping of sticks and twigs . There seemed no end to the expanse of snow-covered ground shrouded in trees . Omi almost sighed aloud , but he knew that it would only cause the other boy to prod him even more and so he swallowed whatever exasperation he felt and continued on without a sound .

Finally , after what seemed like an eternity to Omi , they finally reached the outskirts of the forest on the east side . He could that they were in the east because despite the cloudiness , the feeble sun shone over them like a cloth-covered lamp . 

Ken motioned for him to come near the small hill of snow looking over the ground below them and put a finger to his lips to ensure that not a word will be spoken . 

Resignedly , Omi did as he had motioned and crawled to Ken's side as the brunette pointed to the clearing below them .

Raising an eyebrow , Omi peered over the mound and saw , his eyes widening , a group of men dressed in the black Nazi fatigues with the red and the white Swastika insignia sewn on the left breast . 

Omi could tell , even from afar because he had seen enough of them before to last him a lifetime . 

Frantically , he tugged Ken away and motioned for them to leave . 

He had no fancy to remain there and get caught ; knowing that if they did , it would be straight to the garrisons ; if they were kind ; or in front of a firing squad . Either way ; Omi was NOT happy to be right there .

" Ken !" He whispered ; his voice sounding like a harsh shout to his own ears . " Let's go !" 

The other grinned and shook his head . Mouthing the words " you go ahead ." before looking back at the activity below them . 

Three tents were set up in the middle of the plain , a couple of Nazi trucks at parked behind them parallel to each other with two armed guards alongside each . On the clearing , in front of the tent was with the most activity . About ten , dressed in uniform , were setting up some sort of contraption that resembled a large machine gun of sorts . 

Devices were set up on the monitoring booth behind them , manned by another uniformed Nazi soldier . 

Their leader stood in the middle , watching all the activity from behind wire-rimmed glasses as he directed his soldiers with cold commands . 

Omi couldn't help but crawl back to his spot a few moments before . He wasn't about to leave Ken there alone when he might get caught ; at least , in case that happens (and he hoped it won't) he would be there to bail the brunette out of trouble as always . 

After several long minutes , the machine was finalized and they realized what it actually was , for the first time . 

The large black metal tube they placed in the slot behind it was handled only too importantly to give away what it actually was . It was the projectile missile launcher of the blietzkrieg ! 

" Oh my god !"

Omi's breath got caught in his throat and with large , frightened eyes , he glanced at Ken who seemed to be rather calm about it . 

" Let's go back home Ken ! WE got to tell your parents !" Omi's throat was dry , and it hurt to talk ... that was usually the way whenever he got frightened out of his wits . 

" You go on ahead . I have to find out what they're going to aim at ." 

" Ken !" Omi pulled his friend's arm but met resistance , the snow-covered gravel shifted under his feet and the rocks plummeted to the ground below , causing a soft _thud-thud-thud . _

The soldiers looked up from their work and their white-clad leader silently motioned for them to inspect the source of the noise . 

Omi's eyes widened in terror . " I hope they didn't hear that ..." 

Suddenly , wild gunfire dotted the trees above them , causing debris to rain over the two . 

Omi pulled Ken to his feet , pulling him violently forward , but the ground was unsteady and the part where Ken was standing gave way beneath him . 

A surprised cry was barely out of his lips when he was swallowed up by the soft soil .

Omi wailed in horror , but was cut off by another round of gunfire . He could hear the soldiers negotiating the steep climb towards the clearing above and Omi could do nothing but flee from the source of the spouting gunfire . 

He choked back painful sobs as he stumbled through the bracken and disappeared from the soldiers' line of sight . 

† † †

_R_M : Well there it is !_

_The first chapter of my WWII saga ! _

_Please tell me what you think ! ^.^ Chapter two is already ready (sort-of) and only the feedback is awaited before (or rather , if) I should post it ._

_Should I ? _

_Could I ?_

_Would I ? _

_Won't I ?_

_Button ._

_Down there ..._

_There's a ... _

_... little ... _

_button ... _

_Press ._


	2. Plea for help

**R_M :** I'm back !!! ^_^ Well now ! Because of the semi-enthusiastic ... or maybe it was ... enthusiastic – reviews I got for the teaser chapter ; I wanted to post this as quickly as humanly possible .

I would thank everyone who reviewed the teaser - uhm ... *reads her list* 

**Jenken :** [ahem , thanks , I need all the reviews I can get on Devil's Deceit (^_^)]

**Sara-chan :** Here it is ! Please keep on doing so ! ^.^

**Suisei Lady Dragon :** Let's hope not ... I warn you though , many characters _might _  
_not_ make an appearance at all . I'm thinking about making this a Ken-  
centric x B & A & or S fic .

**I Forgot ... heh : **O_o;;; strange ... uh ... (is it your sn ?)  ... Will do , as long as   
people keep doling out the reviews ! ^^;

**Kaen-chan :** I know what you mean . *lol*

**Whisper Reilman :** OOOOOOOH ! ARIGATOU ! You have never ever missed any of   
my fics ! ARIGATOU ! *huggles*

**Iamjack : **Hang on in there ! ^_~

I still hope many will review in the coming chapters .

**WARNING :** Rating will change for future chapters ! Will post this **WARNING sign in case that happens . Don't ignore ! I won't stand getting flames for a chapter I've thought over because someone didn't pay attention to the warning !**

I'd like to take this opportunity to promote my other fics : *clears throat* Ahem ahem ahem *does a Cogsworth imitation* ... Confused Identity , Devil's Deception (the sequel) , and Sword Buried Deep . Oh , and the other random one-shots . 

Please review them , I really would appreciate it . =(^__^)=

† † †

He couldn't breathe !

He gasped , but no air entered his lungs . 

A heavy pressure pressed against his chest as he struggled to get from whatever it was he was buried under ... He could hear the faint shouting of men all around him , and a slight pressure of trampling . 

He was cold , and he couldn't see .

_Am I going to die now ? Please ... don't let it be ... I don't want to die yet ..._

" Hurry up ." The icy voice cut through his consciousness like a sharp knife .

He knew that voice ... he had been dreaming about that man for several nights ... ever since they set up camp .

The man with the midnight hair .

Suddenly , air filled his lungs and he devoured it with all his might ; making a loud choking sound as he gasped noisily , like a drowning man . 

Hands grasped his arms roughly as he was raised from under the suffocating blanket of soil .

He wanted desperately to see where he was ; to witness what was happening ... but he couldn't ! 

He couldn't see ! 

" It's only a kid , sir ." 

No ! It couldn't be ! He needed to escape ! 

He struggled against his captors , kicking , biting , clawing ; causing the soldiers to grip him with even more violence . 

No !? He couldn't allow them to kill him ! Not yet ! He had so many dreams ! Mama and Papa would be worrying ! 

" Let me go !" He shouted hoarsely and was aware of the gritty taste of soil in his mouth . 

He struck about blindly , not knowing where to aim , and was satisfied when he heard a curse as his boot made contact with shin . Two pairs of hands seized his ankles and he was suspended over the ground his arms and legs spread wide apart .

" A fiery little one sir ; he might tell someone about the ... Should we shoot him ?" 

" Bring him to me ." That voice again . Calm . Cold . Placid .

He felt soft fingers gliding over his cheek , wiping the dirt almost tenderly . 

With a savage snarl , he bit on  those tapering fingers and his head was sent reeling suddenly by a heavy blow . 

His mind spun crazily , whirling , whirling , whirling around like a child's top ; and he could taste blood in his mouth as his lips burst open from the force . 

" Tie him up ." 

" Yes sir ." 

_He was being carried away ... far , far away . _

_Away from mama ... away from papa ..._

_He was going to die ... _

_He was ... _

And his mind went black .

 † † †

Omi couldn't breathe anymore . His breath was catching in his throat as he stumbled through the woods . 

He needed to find help ! 

He needed to help Ken !

Oh my God ! What had he done !?

Why didn't Ken listen to him ?!

_Why ?! _

_Why ?! _

He didn't want to lose him !

The Germennschaft home loomed in his mind ... but no ! They couldn't do anything against those soldiers ! They didn't have weapons ! They didn't have the resources to do it .

He needed someone who could rescue Ken from those bastard Nazis ! 

But who ?!

Who ?!

A conversation they had just a few weeks back echoed in his bewildered mind .

" He's so cool ! He lives in a log cabin in the middle of the forest – he built it himself - and he has this large scar across his chest . He told me he got it from a crossfire a few years back ! He was a renegade freedom fighter , fighting the Irish Revolutionary Army , until his fellow comrades betrayed him and he was almost killed by an IRA bomb in Belfast . After that ,  he escaped to Germany and he's been living here for three years now ... all  by himself ." Ken had said it with so much pride , but Omi was worried for his brother .

" You shouldn't make friends with people like that Ken ! He might suddenly decide to kill you !" Omi had been against the friendship from the start , he was worried for his foster brother . In such a short time , he had grown fond of him and most of the time tended to be overprotective , much to Ken's dismay . 

" Oh don't be such a ninny Omi ! He's really a nice guy once you get to know him ... although he really doesn't speak much ... hmmm ..." Omi knew at once that his foster brother's mind was gearing up . " Why don't we go see him ? It's justa twenty-minute walk from the house ." 

" No way ! Why don't we go to the town instead ? Remember , Fraulein Marie asked us to buy milk ."

A small sigh . " Oh all right , but I can tell you only reminded me because you don't want to go there ." 

" I need to find him ... he's going to save Ken ! I know it ! I just know it !" 

A fresh round of sobs racked Omi's whole body as he stumbled though the woods . 

He had felt this helpless once in his life , when his parents were taken away by the soldiers as he remained in his hiding pace where they told him to remain ; and he was not ready to face that kind of guilt again .

Through his blurry vision , he could see the small wood cabin appearing suddenly like magic from the curtain of trees ... and he knew ... he just knew it ... everything was going to be all right .

† † †

The morning was cold indeed . Snow covered everything in sight , making the land seem pure and celestial .

The tree canopy towering metres above his head let just adequate sunlight to make it feel like winter , yet not yet winter . 

Aya Vogel Dillon was out chopping wood at the back of his wood cabin , clad in faded denims and boots . His thin shirt was barely enough to ward off the cold ; but he didn't mind . 

He had been in worse conditions before and he'd survived – even with the bullets whizzing past his face - he'd survived .

Hmmm ...

His nose was getting frosty , maybe he needed to finish up the firewood quickly before he had to cut it off .

That was an idea . 

For a brief moment , he wondered how the boy was doing ; and dismissed the sudden thought with a snort . If he had gotten it right , he was probably off doing some mischief .

He raised the hatchet and lowered it forcefully . The wood cracked loudly under his sharp ax as muscles rippled cleanly under his pale skin like an oiled python .

Earlier he had heard the sound of gunfire , but he wasn't worried , not even the best of those German bastards could find his cabin – not unless they had brought dogs ... but no sign of them was evident . 

He was going through his last log when suddenly the soft crackle of twig breaking under pressure reached his keen ears . 

His heartbeat quickened a tad as he slid into the shadow of his cabin , fading into the background like a spectre . 

The sound of desperate breathing was evident . Whoever it was , was trying to get away from someone ... maybe a poacher , or a thief running from the town police . 

There weren't many of those in these parts ; but still there were ; and Aya did not even consider the idea of tolerating them . 

His fingers gripped the handle of the axe , ready to strike a fatal blow at the trespasser . He did not like strangers in his property and the only one he could stand for is the boy ; but judging from the pace and the breathing , it was not he . 

He swung the ax with surprising ease , aiming with perfect precision at the unknown interloper , using only his sense of hearing .

A sharp gasp broke the winter silence as wide eyes stared straight up at him in shocked horror while the blade of the hatchet halted just millimeters away from the stranger's face , reflecting the large cerulean eyes . 

It was just a boy ; a mere child ... perhaps lost in the wood .

He eased his grip on the ax and let his arm fall to his side as he stared coldly at the frightened outsider . 

The boy was obviously distressed , his red cheeks were streaked with salty tears as his chest heaved in an effort to regain the breath he lost from running and sobbing . 

The blue cerulean orbs met his mauve ones , albeit a bit fearfully . " Please ... help him ..." The young voice shook as he muttered his hoarse plea , his eyes expressing more than words could ever accomplish . " They took ... Ken ..." 

The boy fell into his arms , senseless , for want of oxygen . 

The cold indigo eyes narrowed in suspicion as he hefted the boy easily and carried him inside the wooden cabin , his mind in a calm sort of turmoil as he mulled over the fond name and the laughing grey eyes that haunted him even in his troubled dreams .

Ken ...

† † †

Review onegai ! 

I hope you like the chapter ! wheee  ! Five pages ! ... well , technically , four – uh and a half ... but what the heck !

REVIEW or I'll ... I'll ... elope with Ken ! O_O;;;


	3. Brilliant perfection

Disclaimer : What do I own ? Hmmm ... _*thinks* _I own Crawford's glasses , Ken's suede boots , Aya's faded denims , Omi's braided bonnet and Hitler's mustache . 

Do I own Weiß ? (^.^);;

Guess what ?! (^.~)

Heh . (~.~)

As a matter of fact ... (O_O)

I don't . (Ø_x);;

_*tramples away with Schuldich's wig and weeps*_

*Note : Italicized _he , his and him_'s all refer to Ken . 

† † †

Brad Crawford was an American .

He was in fact , a very prominent figure both in the business world and politics ; that is , before he defected -

... to the Axis side . 

The reason to that was because he firmly believed in the Fuhrer's grand scheme ; he understood the logic and the sense in the striking design of the Fuhrer's intricate mind and thought that those who opposed him were fools . 

The weak should not at all survive in this world ; only the flawless race should remain , and the only way to accomplish that is to erase all the unworthy ... if that means killing them all . 

He had proven his worth to the great man , and was rewarded by the rise of his rank in Fuhrer's organization . Truly , Hitler could appreciate talent when he sees it , and Crawford was one of the very few whom he admitted to his confidence .

He pulled aside the canvas door to his tent and entered quietly . 

His orders had been obeyed to the letter and the boy was gagged and tied to a wooden chair , although still unconscious . He was covered with mud and soil from his graceless fall ; from his tousled chestnut hair to the suede of his thick boots . 

Cobalt eyes framed in wire-rimmed glasses observed closely , scrutinized – evaluated the young boy before him and surprised himself by finding no fault to him as he was wont to do on _every_ occasion . 

Every detail , every feature was faultless . It was as if Crawford had been fated to have this fine specimen of the human race ... as if the proof to their cause had finally been found ...

Even the Fuhrer would be pleased .

The boy's skin was a golden hue , his hair glossy with health ; though coated with brown earth . His legs were long and finely toned; his fingers soft and graceful for a boy . 

He now knew why he didn't send the boy to be shot ... _he _was perfection in physical embodiment and it amazed him that today , in the most unusual manner , the young demigod fell right into his arms .

_He _was the kind that they were fighting for ! 

It was the faultlessness – the perfection that Crawford saw in _him_ that could correctly personify the Aryan race , the race that _should_ reign supreme .  

And now , he belonged to Brad Crawford . 

_Perfection ..._

† † †

Aya was caught . He had no idea what course of action to take . 

On one hand , he wanted to leave and to find where Ken was , but he did not know what kind of trouble he was in and he might just run into the Nazi soldiers that he was sure was out there ; judging from the caliber of the guns in the volley earlier . On the other hand , if he waited too long , the Germennschaft kid ( he refused to address him by his name ) might be harmed or killed . Unbeknownst to him that it was the soldiers whom he was trying to avoid that was causing him this anxiety . 

Growing impatient and no longer having the fortitude to wait for the stranger to rouse , and smelling salts not being handy ; he decided to do something about it . 

The water from the well was cold . 

He was not the kind of man who did anything for anyone else's convenience ; which was why he did not bother at all to heat the water that he was just about to spill on the boy's face . 

The blond boy awoke with a loud gasp and gagged . His shocked blue eyes met the placid violet ones and he was suddenly aware of his mission and he choked out the words he meant to say . " Please ! Please help him ! The soldiers have him , they might shoot him . Oh God ..." And once more , the diminutive frame was racked with painful sobs .

" Where is he ?" 

Aya didn't mean to sound harsh , but he couldn't help it , he always sounded like that to everyone - even in the 'other boy's' company .

" He's ... he's in the ... clearing beyond the forest ." Omi uttered between sobs , his eyes red from crying . 

It was his horrifying past all over again and he was once more powerless to do anything about it . 

" How many soldiers ?" 

" Fifteen ... maybe twenty ." 

The violet eyes narrowed sharply . Twenty soldiers ? What could they be doing out here ? Of course they would be armed to the teeth . Nazi soldiers are never dispatched without an ample supply of weapons , God knows that Aya was the best shot in the world , he would shoot his way through the troop without blinking an eye, but what he wasn't afraid of a battle ... he had seen and been in more of those than anyone could imagine ... what scared him is that in the middle of the fray , someone could kill the kid ... and that may be more than he could shoulder .

His mind went to full gear as he tried to decide the best course of action to employ but not even he could think of a good way to kill all of the bastards without harming the boy .

" Go back to your house -." 

As an afterthought , he added almost threateningly , his chill violet eyes narrowed into a pair of sharp slits . " Don't speak of this to anyone , I don't need more meddlers on my hands ." 

Without another word , he armed himself with a dangerous-looking sniper rifle and slung the snakeskin pouch filled with pointed bullets over his able shoulder . 

He gave a final look upon the sobbing boy , before disappearing into the quiet , snow-blanketed terrain , with the door closing softly behind him . 

† † †

The boy had groaned in pain as he opened his eyes ... 

... and Crawford saw the most brilliant grey eyes he had ever witnessed in his entire life ... 

† † †

_Oh God ..._ Ken had thought as he opened his eyes to the sights of the American ... the American ! Standing so near in front of him . 

He was so tall and imposing , Ken didn't know whether he should be afraid or he should admire that tall profile watching him with those midnight eyes . 

Briefly , he wondered where Omi was ... but if he was not with him , he would have certainly gotten away from the soldiers . No marksman could hit him from that impossible angle ; except of course , Aya ... 

... but of course , they weren't Aya ... 

... Aya was ... Aya was ... 

His thoughts crashed back to his present predicament . _He_ had been caught . And most probably he was going to be shot in front of a pre-made grave and be forgotten forever . 

† † †

R_M : So ... 

I've been having trouble with my browser . It refuses to load the updated page of FF.net so I couldn't see my new reviews for D.D. 

Just wanted to tell you that right now my other fic , Sword Buried Deep is now suspended till further notice . I suddenly have lost the urge to write it , but hopefully I will continue it given the proper inspiration probably sometime this year . I know some will be disappointed or even a little mad ; sorry . 

Anyway , you still have this fic ne ? 

Thanks for the continued support . 


	4. Unexpected attack

R_M : I was a bit disappointed by the turnout of the last chapter's reviews . I'm not exactly encouraged , but I don't give up that easily too ... I think ... so in dedication to Mariki and Shadow ... 

† † †

The boy stared indignantly up at him . 

God ! He had never seen this much defiance in any man's eyes before , more especially , in a boy's .

He knew that his captive realized who he was ; if not who then what he was . Not even the dumbest imbecile could doubt the fact that he wielded more than sufficient power to make even the highest-ranking officers of the SS trembling in their boots . 

He studied that expression of silent fury and insolence and he couldn't help but smile inwardly to himself . 

Even Goring and Himmler did not dare to openly express their distaste - he knew existed quite forcefully  – on him . 

And right at this moment he was looking at a boy , a mere child , _his_ captive moreover ; glaring up at him as if he had no right to tie him up on a chair .

" Spying on us , child ?" He said in perfect German . His eyes betraying no emotion ; his movement fluid . 

The boy did not reply . 

" Ah . Are you afraid of me ?" He asked , knowing full well the reply to his inquiry . 

The brown head snapped up , and his prisoner attempted a savage snarl despite the white handkerchief stuffed in his mouth .

Crawford laughed aloud , but there was no mirth in his voice - only calm and surgical ruthlessness . 

He crouched in front of the boy , putting his eyes level with the beautiful fuming face of his hostage " You are wondering why I haven't killed you yet , correct ? ... Perhaps I've decided to torture you and ... convince you tell me who you work for ." Not a flicker in the luminous grey orbs . " Or perhaps I am waiting for the corpse of your friend to be brought to me ." 

The hard gaze wavered slightly . Crawford knew that he had already made a dent in the boy's defenses ; a small one , yes ; but a dent all the same . Besides , the boy was going to stay with him long enough to discover what Crawford considered as a 'minor' damage . 

Yes , Crawford had already decided . 

He was going to keep this little rascal alive . More for his personal amusement  rather than anything else . 

The sudden sound of gunfire made him incline his head towards the opening of the tent , where two of his men were shooting at an invisible assailant . " Sir ! Someone is shooting at us !" The captain of his guards ducked his head inside the tent as he reported to his superior . 

" How many ?"

" We can't be sure sir . We haven't sighted any of them yet , but judging from the attack points ; five , maybe more ."

Crawford stood up and brushed imaginary lint from his the leg of his pristine white suit as he headed towards the entrance of the tent , not minding the gunfire around him nor the possibility that he could get shot . He stood there , regal and unafraid as he surveyed the scene with steely eyes . 

" How many men are here under your command ? If my memory does not fail me , it is twenty-five , correct ?  Well then , has it occurred to you that your unknown aggressors might just be one man ? No ? Then it seems to me that you are too quickly deceived , Captain ." 

The man looked dumbfounded and stared at his superior with a puzzled look , his mouth agape . " But sir , it couldn't be ! The snipers are firing from different vantage points and with different types of guns ." 

" That is too easily accomplished ." He looked at the man coldly . " Order your men to spread out in a wide circle ; tell them not to compress together in a certain area and keep in constant motion . I want the sniper captured or killed within the next twenty   minutes or I will have your head  - and trust me , I never joke ." 

Without another word , he turned back into the tent . 

† † †

Aya had set up his rifles in different positions as soon as he had set his eyes on the camp , choosing vantage points with perfect view of the site , and yet with enough foliage for him to be invisible from the soldiers' vision . 

He concentrated his gunfire on the outside , intending to drive them to the center where they would easily be managed with fewer shots . Everything was going according to plan . 

The soldiers were slowly inching towards the center of the camp , making it easier for him to decrease their number , but when a tall man in white emerged from the center tent and barked several words to the captain , the soldiers retracted their tactic and spread out even more . 

" Damn ." He cursed softly under his breath . The man in white obviously had anticipated the logic in the attack . He did not understand , however , how the man found out that he was only one ? 

He tried to aim at the pristinely clad man , who was obviously the highest official among them , but many bereted heads blocked his view just as he was taking aim . The man disappeared from sight immediately . 

Five SS soldiers had already gone down , their blood staining the perfect white snow but they had become more cautious , even with his skill , it was difficult to shoot a moving target running through the foliage – a tactic that he himself uses . 

He knew it was impossible to kill them all ... but the real question is , how will he save the boy ?

† † †

" How quaint , child . You've a friend who's desperate to save your life – perhaps your little blond companion has managed to ask for help ." 

Crawford observed his every tiny movement , every tremor , the tension in the muscles , the tightening of the jaw as he said those words . He knew he was infuriating the boy even more with his cryptic speech . " Would you like to inform me who he is ?" 

He tugged disdainfully at the handkerchief , allowing it to flutter to the ground . 

" Go to hell . I'm not going to tell you ." The boy spat at him , his eyes burning in fury . 

" My my . You are quite a feisty little rascal ... I see you're not Jewish ." He flicked his hand in the pretence of indifference . " We will find out soon enough ; when their corpses are brought to me ." 

His voice rose above the sound of gunfire as he called out " Lieutenant ." 

" Sir ?" A man , in his middle twenties entered the room and saluted smartly .

" Load the equipment into the trucks , you should be ready for departure within half an hour ." 

" Yes sir ." 

" And lieutenant -" 

" Sir ?"

" Do it with prudence . I would like to return to the headquarters with enough men to salvage the equipment ." 

The man saluted again and disappeared , through the opening . 

" Well then child . Won't you be delighted to know that you'll be coming along on a little trip ." 

" Why don't you just kill me now ?" The torn lips quivered as he said it , and Crawford recognized the courage it must have taken for him to spit those words out considering that Crawford just might take him up on his suggestion . 

" Well now , why don't I ?"  He withdrew produced a small gun from his jacket and pressed the barrel against the boy's temple . " Pity . I could have even introduced you to the Fuhrer ." 

Just a flicker from the grey eyes , and the tightening of his jaw told Crawford all he needed to know , he pressed the trigger just as a small explosion echoed outside . 

† † †

Shadow : I'm sorry about the eye mistake . You honestly cracked me up with your review ; and there is no offense taken . I appreciate the heads up . The reason why I switched is because the teaser had been written quite a long time ago (about a year ago , actually) I just decided to continue the story and since I'm generally making Ken's eyes grey these days , the switch did go unnoticed . Please continue reviewing if you feel particularly talkative , and constructive criticism (like this one) is very , very much appreciated . Thanks ! ^^;

Mariki : _*whispers , eyes darting in case AyaKen fans hear* _I think I love the pairing better too ... but you might be pleased to know that I'm working on a NagiKen thingy ... I won't post a single chapter until I'm finished though (which would take a while )


	5. Mein klein kaninchen

† † †

Aya watched , brazen-eyed as he watched the homemade grenade he  had thrown explode into a large mushroom of flame , engulfing a man with the hungry flames . 

A shriek rose into a frightening crescendo as the man attempted to smother the flames consuming his clothing with his bare hands . Some of the other men flocked together to attempt to aid their comrade . 

Aya aimed , both eyes open and alert and within a span of five seconds , five of the Nazi soldiers fell down on the snow-covered ground , a bullet cleanly piercing the middle of their foreheads . 

The birds had stopped chirping by now , not a sound filtered through the bare woods . Even the breeze had ceased its relentless stirring of the brittle leaves clinging desperately to the gnarled branches . 

The soldiers were firing in his general direction stirring up snow and stones upward . He couldn't stay there any longer . 

Grabbing the big-barreled rifle he assigned to that position , he faded into the shrubbery to his next shooting point . 

The shouting of the flaming soldier had faded , and the only sound marring the silence of the morning was the thunderous _rat-tat-tat_ of the soldiers' automatic weapons . 

By that time , the remaining men had already reloaded the various parts of the Blitzkrieg machine into the large transport trucks bearing the insignia of two intersecting lightning bolts . 

_SS . Hitler's blackshirts ... _

But what the goddamned hell were they doing in the middle of this secluded town ? This was an unoccupied zone , even Nazi scouts were rarely seen here .

Unless – 

Unless Hitler wanted to occupy these parts ... but that was absurd . There was no reason to do so because there were nearly no Jews here , nor any political refugees . It was just that , a secluded small town by the forest . 

No , Hitler had no reason to send his SS here ; this small piece of land by the mountains was of no value to him – it was one of the reasons why Aya chose to live here in the first place ; he had anticipated the war after all – 

Then why ?  

A realization dawned on him . 

Perhaps Hitler hadn't sent his men here after all . Perhaps the white-clad stranger had ordered the operation using his Fuhrer's name , and yet without Hitler's authorization ! 

It seemed plausible . 

But it still didn't explain why all the secrecy .

Aya's swift legs carried him through the thickets and bushes without making a single sound . Not a single branch or leaf had been displaced by his fluid movement . 

The soldiers that did not help in loading the vehicles were still shooting at the place where they thought he was . 

_Idiots ._

† † †

Crawford smiled placidly when the hammer hit the barrel hollowly . Even his captive closed his eyes momentarily in the anticipation of his death and winced . 

_He had not armed his weapon . _

Perhaps there was a slight weakness after all . 

Human soul can never be perfected , and yet , lucky are those who have received near perfection . 

He re-holstered his gun as the boy opened his dusky grey eyes . He knew the boy was trying to mask his relief with a mask of bravado , and he couldn't help but acknowledge the resilience and courage he saw shining in the young eyes . 

The explosion outside went ignored , and Crawford watched with growing amusement his captive struggling against the bonds that bound him to the wooden chair . 

He stood there for a moment , musing , and then decided a force of action .

His captain was an incompetent man . No doubt the lone attacker was already gaining advantage over the soldiers and perhaps would even manage to wipe out twenty-five of the Fuhrer's men . 

He had to give credit to the sniper . He was a very brave man to shoot at the SS for the sake of the boy , even if it was indeed a special boy . 

He needed to withdraw from this damned place before the unseen bastard manages to reclaim his new prize . 

Crawford towered impressively in front of Ken , his steely orbs glinting cruelly , before his long tapering fingers loomed forward and undid his bonds . 

The golden face seemed shocked at the gesture , and the boy watched him unmoving , as if trying to determine a course of action . 

" Please do not try anything . I would not hesitate to kill you on a second occasion ." Crawford realized that he was calling a bluff . He _never_ called in a bluff – but this feeling , this sensation that was contaminating him was new to him as well , and he knew that when he came to it , his ruthlessness could never stand strong against this fair specimen that he claimed to be his own enough to kill him . 

The boy's face was filled with unmasked suspicion as Crawford placidly herded him through the other side of the tent to his car ; the latest model of the expensive Cadillac . 

They were near the car , barely a few steps away was the passenger door . He planned to tie the boy to the passenger seat as he himself drove away , and he would leave the soldiers to deal with the unknown aggressor . But , he could tell the boy was planning something , he felt the muscles tense under his sensitive tapered fingers . 

Like a feral animal , the boy suddenly bucked from under his grip , snapping sharp teeth on his hand – drawing crimson drops from the pale broken skin – until he was forced to let go . Untamed eyes flashed ; the boy sprinted quickly towards the upward slope of the hill . 

Crawford knew that he had to stop him from reaching the top . Ignoring the throbbing pain in his hand – the boy had broken skin and his hand was already bleeding – he raced after his escaped captive who was running like a wild stallion . 

The moment the boy reached the shelter of trees , there was no way to recapture him . And Crawford would have to live with the anger and self-hatred of losing such a magnificent prize such as he . 

Cursing softly , he unholstered his gun and aimed with quiet precision , cocking it . He pressed the trigger and bullet whistled through the air . The shot hit its mark . 

Blood spurted from the gunshot wound , the boy buckled as the crimson drops stained the white snow . He grabbed his leg as his face crumpled in evident pain .

Crawford had aimed at the boy's leg , so that the bullet would pierce the tissues without permanent damage , making it difficult for the boy to escape . It was a spot that can be triggered to ensure immense pain . 

Snarling , the boy continued to crawl towards the hill , dragging his injured leg uselessly behind him . 

Crawford slowly and cautiously approached his prey , his hand still throbbing from the vicious attack it had just received , he still did not know what the boy was capable of ; and it seemed that the young _Knabe_ was constantly surprising him with his antics .   

He was going to tame this wild creature , his swore to himself . The boy would soon learn who is master .

† † †

Aya raised his rifle and fired once more , this time felling three more soldiers atop the trucks . They hadn't been allowed the luxury of screaming . They were dead upon the impact of the bullets .

The soldiers were almost through reloading the trucks ! The last piece of equipment was already being loaded . 

He needed to finish them all before they could have a chance to drive away ... 

Despite his apprehensiveness to destroy the whole troop , he wondered . 

_Could the boy still be alive ? _

But he couldn't think about that now ! He had to act ! 

Grabbing the rifle he assigned to that spot , he sprinted through the woods to his next position , his long legs aiding him to run quickly and soundlessly through the tickets and bushes . The twigs did not crack under his thick-soled boots . 

Aya had been trained to operate in this kind of environment ; with all the forces of nature and man acting against him . He knew that there was no chance that the men would see him even if they tried . He was invisible . _Verbleichen . Gleiten . Verschwinden nach leicht luft . _

Fourteen soldiers . He had already killed fourteen soldiers . 

That meant that there were still eleven of them preparing to escape to safety from his bullets – and their leader ; their damned leader . He had to know what the Nazi bastard was up to . 

He grabbed the loaded rifle that he had positioned against a large , snow-covered boulder . One shot - a man keeled over . 

A movement caught his eye . 

The SS bastard was wearing white , and his white panama hat made him almost camouflaged in the white snow . He wouldn't have noticed them if it hadn't been for the brown head .

A halo of hazel hair that he could not fail to recognize anywhere ; the boy was still alive !

The kid , Ken – his name is Ken , was running away from his captor , his legs pumping in an effort to escape . His sharp mauve eyes could discern the look of determination in his face as he laboured up the steep incline , his boots sliding on the slick snow .

He tensed when he realized that the man was unsheathing a gun from its holster in his jacket . He aimed for the Panama hat , slinging the rifle on his shoulder , he kept both eyes open , slowly , he pressed the trigger . 

Suddenly , a shot ricocheted off the boulder he was hiding behind . The men had finally homed in on the direction of the shot that had killed the most recent victim . 

Aya exhaled sharply , he was once more running to another position , two of his empty rifles in one hand , the loaded one in the other . 

He needed a location close to the SS officer – and Ken . 

He was going to kill the bastard !

Eyes trained on Ken , he continued to leap over the bracken towards the hill over the white Cadillac . 

He paused rigidly in mid-leap , his body refusing to move for a split second . 

The fucking bastard shot the boy ! Dear God ! The fucking prick had shot an unarmed boy !

His eyes narrowed as he watched the brunette fall to the ground , the dark droplets of his blood dripping to the snow . 

Bastard ! His legs once more resumed its action , propelling him through the natural obstacles quickly . 

The hill ! He needed to reach the hill !

The man raised his gun once more as he neared , pointing towards the boy's head even as the injured boy attempted to crawl up the steep incline . 

He stopped , his heart racing . 

He needed to act now ! Dropping to one knee he raised his rifle . 

Too late !!!

The man had already swung an unconscious Ken over his shoulder and Aya watched in defeat as he carried Ken towards his car . He didn't dare shoot . 

He knew he was the best marksman the IRA had ever seen , more than a hundred IRA corpses and others would testify to that , but despite his confidence in his abilities , he couldn't bear to raise his gun and point it anywhere near the boy's   
head . 

His heart contracted painfully , he couldn't identify the emotion he was feeling ; but he sure as hell was fucking angry .  

He slung the rifle around his arm , drawing his thick leather jacket closer . Snow muffled his footsteps ; foliage concealed him so well that he was virtually invisible from all points .

He needed to follow them . 

But first ... 

† † †

Crawford sat behind the wheel , his unconscious captive slumped on the passenger seat beside him . 

Ignoring the child's injury , he had slammed the butt of his gun against the boy's head and had slung him easily over his shoulder when the boy had crashed forward towards the cold snow . The red liquid spouting from the small , bullet-sized hole on his leg stained the thick material of his clothes . 

He frowned in disdain when he noticed specks of blood soiling his suit . 

_Damn _. 

He had realized that he needed to hasten things up a bit when he realized that the distinct sound of the enemy rifle's discharge was nearing his location . Crawford was well beyond stupid . He knew that the moment the guerilla - or whatever the boy's friend was – found them , he would kill Crawford and heft the injured boy over _his_ shoulders and lug him off somewhere . 

No , he cannot allow that . Crawford did not like other people touching his possessions .

His lips twisted in an ironic smile , so the man was probably out to save the boy after all , and here he was , an elite SS officer , closer to the Fuhrer than any other man , abducting a teen-aged boy . 

Dear God ! Could it be possible ??  He had thought of the boy as his own ! Not just his captive ; or a prize , or a trophy – he had actually considered the boy to be his _own_ . Did Bradley Crawford actually get smitten by a boy barely out of his teens with messy hair and rabbit-bedecked mittens ?!

He almost laughed aloud at the thought . _Surely , he was not ... he did not_ ... Dear Lord above ! 

He could not restrain himself . Once in a while , he did allow himself the luxury of a laugh , and this particular incident did warrant the indulgence .

He laughed . Reservedly , it was true , but a laugh all the same .

He needed to return to Berlin to have the boy's leg examined . The boy would probably go into shock if he didn't stem the blood-flow as soon as possible . 

He would do that as soon as he passed through the nearest village , until he was sure that the sniper had not managed to follow them in time . 

He couldn't lose the boy because of a measly gunshot wound that he himself had inflicted .  

" Stranger ," he said , glancing briefly at his rearview mirror , " You've lost . I have my Raub , mein klein kaninchen ."

**YYY**

**R_M :** Sorry for taking a little longer than usual . I've been without my beloved internet for a few days and like I said , my pc's getting to be a bitch . That and the power fluctuations that's been plaguing me for a few days . Anyway ... 

**R_M :** Seme ? O_O;; Uke ?? What the heck are those ?!?! (Forgive my ignorance , but I don't exactly understand what you guys mean)

I put for example BradxKen , meaning that Brad is the one who's after Ken , etc. Could someone explain what _seme_ and _uke_ mean ? _*is getting fidgety and nervous because R_M's thinking that  she might later  regret asking*_ O_O;;;;

( I didn't know that 'x' meant anything except that it was yaoi and I didn't know that the arrangement of the names had some sort of meaning ... _*smacks herself for her ignorance*_ )

**NagiNaoeSchwarzsProdigy : Whew ! long name , ^_~ and obviously a Nagi fan . I bet you're going to like the NagixKen or KenxNagi (whichever it is) fic I'm working on ; (I hope)  it basically revolves around those two but there are other – let's say there at least two triangles or quadrangles...! Yes , I know what you mean . Even until today , racial discriminations are very rampant , and it does annoy me how people can be so narrow-minded at times . This might sound stupid or sentimental but why can't everybody just get along . _*waves to the crowd with pearly-white smile , crown on her head , flowers in her arms saying : 'Humans should do everything to achieve ... world peace .'*_  Blech ! O.O;; Anyway , I love your review ! I LOVE getting LOOOOONG reviews ! /(^.^)\  _*LOL at the Brad should be paired with who thing because a BradxFarfie's knife pairing keeps popping in R_M's head*_ **

Readers : O_O;;

R_M : Hentai ! No ! I didn't mean it like that ! X . x;;

**Sara-chan : Yup ! He's brave and courageous alright ! That's probably one of the reasons why Brad gets so attached to him here . As for your question ... well _*fidgets*_ I can't tell yet , it might ruin the story ! ^_~**

**Mariki : Of course ! I mean , why not ?! You've been one of my most avid readers (and reviewers) , from Devil's deceit , Confused Identity and now this ! Thanks ! Uke ? O_O;; If that's weird ... then ... gwah ... that doesn't sound too good ... j/k ^_~**

**xxkurenaixx : Hiya ! I really can't tell you how it's gonna end , like I said , I can't tell yet coz it might ruin the story . RnR and find out onegai ! ^_^**

**Blue : Thanks ... He does , actually ... but don't tell anyone I said that ! ^_~**

**Love * Star : He is isn't he ? Despite that , there are many BradxKen (or KenxBrad) O_O;; (I'm confused with that WhoxWho thing) fics that I really can't resist . Although , in my opinion , SchuxKen is the best ! _*cowers in case she gets whacked*_**

**Kaen-chan : Arigatou for the compliments ! (^___^) _*blushes*_ Really , I sympathize with you … T__T my stupid computer's a bitch right now to get along with . Never mind that , but I'm having trouble downloading Gluhen 9 ! Darn ! It just splits my brains whenever I try to use it , I think it might have a virus or something . _*whacks her pc against the wall ; wall crumbles , pc is still fully intact* _**

R_M : Download you stupid hunk of worthless junk ! (~_O)

And last , but certainly NOT the least , 

**Whisper_Reilman : Yay ! WBies ! I thought I'd never see you review ! ^^; Yeah , A rugged renegade Aya does seem appealing doesn't it ?! LOL ! Crawford might be a tough nut to crack , and a nut of nuts too , but it just takes one little kawaii Ken to split him wide open ! _*cackles*_ though I know exactly why . For some reason , the hate-love relationship is kind of fascinating for me too , it just suits Ken and Brad perfectly . I'm still not 100% sure how the story will come through , but rest assured , there will be more fun when Schuldich and Farfarello arrive . You know , I was analyzing the other day and I realized that the only characters not appearing are Nagi and Yohji . Weird . Well anyway , a hundred thanks' for the review , I hope you're doing great IRL ; hope the writings' are making your a load a bit lighter . ^^; **

Wow ! I'm sorry if the thank you's and the notes are really long ! It's just that I truly appreciate your support ! ^^;

Review onegai ! (^^.)


	6. Escape the hunter's bullet

**R_M :** Dedicated to Whisper Reilman ( who is just the BEST ) and NagiNaoeShwarzProdigy (for kicking that heartless son of a donkey's ass – well of course a donkey is kinda like an ass , so  for kicking that ass's ass !) _*LOL*_

_*cowers under the shower of boos and rotten tomatoes , holds up her hands in surrender*_ Sorry ! I know that was lame ! _*LOL and runs away with Ken's mittens*_

† † †

Crawford drove on , once in a while glancing at the rearview mirror for any sign that he was being followed . He had thought that if the man trailing them was a professional , he wouldn't allow himself to be sighted by his prey , but Crawford was too disciplined to allow that kind of reasoning to influence his actions . He had to , after all , check if his imbecile SS troop had survived the Invisible One's attack . 

Fuck him . Nobody fucks with Brad Crawford and gets away with it . The bastard had ruined his plans just by interfering with the setup of the Blitzkrieg device ; and yet , despite the maddening thought , he wasn't completely dissatisfied with the day's events . 

He had , after all , found a new plaything - one that couldn't compare to those expensive gadgets and fragile toys that his parents had given him in his youth ; those of which he had discarded without a second glance the moment that he had grown tired of them . 

He glimpsed the unconscious boy slumped on the passenger seat wince in pain and felt a _very_ rare twitch of pity ; the first one in perhaps twenty years . 

Surely , he had watched thousands upon thousands of innocent human beings being shoved naked into gas pits and dying while they stood stock still in the all-too cramped space ; he had observed entire queues of men and women lining up alongside a deep pit of earth waiting to be shot by the soldiers ; he had witnessed the piling of all the tangled bodies and the burning of limbs attached to dead corpses into massive mountains of rotting corpses and smelled the acrid smell of burning flesh without _ever_ feeling pity or compassion . And here he was , well into the center of the bloody fray feeling a pang of emotion , even a tiny one , for a mere boy he had seen fall in disgrace on his lap .

The slight twinge of pity suddenly dissipated as quickly as it had come and Crawford returned his steely eyes back to the slick , snow-covered road . 

Perhaps he needed to tend the wound when they reach the nearest town . He didn't want the boy to be dead by the time they arrived at his office and he certainly had no mind to dispose of a dead body from his car even if he could order an SS elite soldier to do the task for him . 

For a second , he wondered if the blood could be washed off his immaculate white upholstery and then dismissed the thought with a small frown . He could buy another Cadillac at any time with no semblance of trouble ; after all , he had twenty-five million marks at his disposal , didn't he ? 

The road narrowed and grew slicker as his impatience grew with the increasingly challenging road and it required his most of his concentration to avoid veering off the difficult dirt track and smashing into the erratic row of trees lining alongside it . 

The sky above grew darker , warning him of the possible onslaught of a blizzard or snowstorm ; the wind howled incredibly , deafeningly and the Panama hat that he had clipped to the door flapped in a frenzy with the invisible torrent . 

The car sped up as safely as possible in the dangerous and slippery terrain , and Crawford noted with impatience the thundering  overhead . He had to get to town soon or the boy would die of his bullet wound and if not , he would die of hypothermia given the cruel weather and the bitter cold . 

He sighted the town ahead just as the snow started to fall , tine flecks of ice kissing every available surface . He cursed and pulled the stick shift ; the muffled groans from his unconscious captive reaching his ears . 

It would be a shame if the boy died on him .

A great shame . 

† † †

Aya crouched low behind the underbrush and clutched the bottle in his hand and gritted his teeth . 

He couldn't believe that he had allowed the bastard to get away with Ken in tow , he hadn't even been able to do anything to keep the son of a bitch from shooting the kid . 

He resisted the urge to follow the car .

The soldiers were finishing their jobs loading the trucks and it was obvious from their darting eyes that they were distinctly aware of the presence of a trained marksman waiting to kill them all . 

Aya smirked . They must be _dying_ to get away from there . 

With a shrill whistle , he tossed the bottle towards the group of men and machinery and whipped out his rifle . 

The soldiers whipped their head towards the direction of the sound , their eyes widening in horror at the realization ; and yet their reflexes far too slow to save their lives . 

The men barely knew what happened . The last thing they ever saw was a black bottle shattering into a million pieces of crystal in midair and a large explosion rattled the white-washed earth , engulfing ten men with swirling orange flames .

Aya didn't even stay to make sure that no one had survived the brilliant fireworks , he was too occupied with running towards his cabin to retrieve his motorcycle . 

With any luck , he'd be able to find the Nazi bastard before he does anything to the kid ; and hopefully , he'd get a perfect shot at that smug asshole and leave his corpse with a seamless little hole in the forehead  .

† † †

The Cadillac glided smoothly into a rolling halt in front of an inn in the little town ; and an imperious Brad Crawford stepped out of the car with an unconscious boy in his arms . 

A nervous innkeeper greeted them at the door . The sight of the tall man with a soiled young boy hoisted on his arms was enough to fray a gentle old man's nerves , but the small emblem of intersecting lightning bolts was enough to send him into a fit . 

He didn't dare refuse the man of course , for that would mean future , if not immediate execution .

" Guten aven sir ."

The man shot him an emotionless look and swept into the cozy inn without a word . 

The hapless innkeeper hurried after him , shutting the door against the deluge of snow raging outside . 

" Is there anything you need sir ? A room perhaps ? Some dinner ?" The old man was fidgeting with his hands ; obviously distressed . 

" Ja , a room , and some medical supplies . My son is in need of attention ." 

He knew he couldn't fool anyone with his charade ; after all , he didn't look old enough to be a father of a boy that age . Still , he couldn't arouse the feeling of impending doom upon the old innkeeper lest he should try to raise an alarm on the town before Crawford could escape to his headquarters . 

" Yes , sir ." With that , the old man rushed off to do his bidding ; as if knowing that his life depended on the performance of his task . 

Crawford did not kill for amusement – he did not order someone shot just for the enjoyment of it – but he was quite ruthless when someone failed to do the commission he orders upon him . 

Besides , he had to kill the old man anyway . He couldn't risk the knowledge that he had been anywhere near the town ; any other witness had  to be dealt with in the same manner .

With any fortune , some of the SS soldiers he had with him would survive and clear the equipment before the Fuhrer's men get wind of the operation – if not , then the next best thing would be that the invisible sniper would have done the work for him ; setting the whole troop and the equipment on fire ; which he probably did , considering that he couldn't just shoot every one of those soldiers and manage to chase after Crawford in time . 

Anyway , his connection with dead troop could not be discovered without any witnesses if he managed to leave the town as soon as possible . 

A slight shuffling at the desk relieved him of his reflections and he was soon glaring at the old man whom had procured a box of bandages , medicine and other equipment . " Sir , your room is ready ." The old man fumbled with the keys , dropping it once or twice before being able to clutch it thoroughly in his sweating hands . " If you would follow me , sir , I shall bring you to your room ." 

The nervous host shambled through the small corridor past three closed doors towards a large one , white paint peeling off its surface . " Here sir ." The old man gestured , opened the battered wood door and hobbled into the room . He carefully placed the kit on the faded bedspread and the keys on the bedside table . " If you need anything sir , please don't hesitate to call me ." With a highly reverent nod , the innkeeper closed the door behind him . 

Crawford waited momentarily , and placed his captive facedown on the soft bed . He supported the brown head with a small pillow as he turned the worn-down heater up to the maximum . 

He was quick to act ; the kit's contents were placed neatly on the table , the materials he needed were arranged and ready . For an instant , he watched the unconscious boy , undecided until he finally once more moved softly , the mechanisms in his head instructing him what to do . 

He knew that there was nothing he could do to remove the bullet , to do so would just aggravate the injury because of his lack of professional training . Slowly , he peeled away layers upon layers of the boy's stained clothing , his face impassive .

Soon , the boy was clad only in his boxer shorts , the blood dripping constantly on the carpet . 

His hands worked deftly to repair his patient . Time was against him ; he couldn't afford to be slow about it . 

† † †

Aya sped through the rough terrain , bouncing on his motorcycle . 

The snow was working vehemently against him , lashing at his face with cold sheets until he almost couldn't see . That wouldn't be such a difficult problem , he knew the territory well and could navigate through it with blindfolds if he had to , what faintly nagged at the back of his mind was that his bike , stored carelessly outside the cabin and under the harsh weather for a while , would cause it to sputter and die . He knew he couldn't afford a  delay . As it was , the Nazi bastard was probably way ahead of him and he had no clue as to where they were heading – the driving snow had already erased the tracks of the Cadillac's wheels .

He had to hope that they were still in town , the man should try to fix the brunette boy after all , or he wouldn't have bothered to bring the kid along with him if he wanted the boy to die . 

Briefly , his mind rested on the question of why the American man had abducted Ken Germennschaft . 

The boy was indeed witness to their operations , but so was the blond kid and they had only tried to dot the boy with their bullets ; and yet , he had bothered to avoid killing the brunette by shooting him in the leg instead of the vulnerable target that could have killed him instantly – no problems , no reservations ... of course , the boy could be dead already , given the fact that if his abductor had not tried to stem the bleeding , he could hemorrhage to his demise ... but still , if the American had wanted that , he wouldn't have brought the boy along to add to his headaches , would he ?

The memory of the American hoisting Ken over his wide shoulders mad Aya shudder in disgust and revulsion . Damn that bastard . 

The light of his motorcycle dimmed , providing feeble assistance for him to see through the torrent of snow . The sky had grown so dark that one could almost mistake it for midnight instead of early afternoon ; has it been hours already ? 

At this rate , with his bike slowing down , he'd have a slim chance to reach the town before the smug bastard could get away , but he just couldn't stop trying . 

He cursed as the bike sputtered and died , leading him to a bumpy halt on the downward slope  . He kicked the vehicle heatedly in his annoyance , and grabbed his equipment hanging on the handlebars . 

For the first time since the firefight , he noticed that his jacket was barely enough protection against the bitter cold and he almost wished that he had brought a thicker coat aside from his leather bomber jacket . 

Damn . 

Muttering , he groped his way carefully down the mountainous area , sliding and trudging his way down to safety . He could obviously have made better time with the bike , but since the damned contraption couldn't be trusted , he just had to rely on his own abilities to survive the biting frost with his trigger finger working . He almost wished he had gloves on . 

The memory of Ken's favorite mittens flashed in his mind . Blue rabbit mittens . Ken always wore those mittens . 

Aya's concentration lapsed as he remembered the boy trying to chop wood behind his cabin , his mittened hands gripping the heavy ax . Aya smiled faintly and shook his head . 

Ken was waiting . 

The wind whipped his frost-covered hair , he could feel the cold masticating his ears and was dead sure that in no time , he would be obliged to cut it off provided that he wouldn't be able to reach the town quickly . 

That renewed his resolve . 

The moment he reached the plain , he broke into a run , hoping that the American , with his captive had not yet left town . 

† † †

Crawford stood back and viewed his handiwork with cold satisfaction . 

The wound had been expertly swathed with bandages and had stopped the flow of blood . 

Within minutes , the boy would probably awaken , and Crawford dared not to take the risk to remain where the boy , though injured , could have a chance to liberate himself and flee . Besides , the sniper was probably on their tail , and although the snow had probably detained him , Crawford could not – should not rely on good fortune for long . 

Taking a pillow , he ripped the pillowcase into long shreds and knotted them together ; with that he used the long strip of connected cloth to secure the brunette's wrists and legs , making sure that the boy's bindings were tight and impossible to undo by himself . 

Taking another pillow for the boy's comfort , ( he briefly pondered why he cared for the boy's well-being ) he once more swept the unconscious brunette in his arms and strode to the lobby . He rang the bell briefly , waiting for the old man to reappear . " Herr innkeeper ." He said , when the old man nervously presented himself . " Please procure some food for the boy . We'd soon be on our way ." 

The old man sighed in relief at that ,  but his apprehension was once more regained when he saw the boy's bindings and got a clear view of the lad in his arms . " But sir ... that's Ken Germennschaft !" He protested , unable to restrain his words . " Ken Germennschaft , eh ?" Crawford mused . " Very good ." 

Now he knew the boy's name ; food could come later . After all , he wasn't at all hungry and the boy could very well survive a few hours without it . 

" Your dues ." He tossed a thick wad of hundred-dollar marks on the desk , much to the old man's dismay . 

" Sir ,  please . Everything is on the house ." He pleaded , his aged eyes bright with fear . 

" I insist ." With that , Crawford unsheathed his gun , holding the boy close against his chest with the other arm and shot the old man on the head . 

The innkeeper was dead before his body even reached the wooden floor . 

With his gun back in its sheath , Crawford placed his arm under the boy's knees and continued his way to the waiting Cadillac . 

† † †

Aya squinted through the pelting ice and saw the distant lights of the town . 

His pace quickened at every yard as he neared the village , his rifles barely weighing him down . 

He couldn't tell how much time he had lost making his way down the rough mountain , but he hoped that he was just in time to reach Ken before his captor decided to make a run for it . 

The inn came to view , and with a burst of energy , Aya sprinted to the open door , his rifle unslung and cocked .

The inn was empty . 

Save for the dead innkeeper wallowing in his own crimson blood on the floor and the stack of German bills scattered like confetti all over the lobby , the inn was totally empty . 

His eyes darted to the road snaking towards Berlin , and just managed to glimpse a pair of faint taillights as it disappeared around the bend . 

Aya betrayed habit , and let out a loud curse . 

† † †

**R_M : **AAAAAAAAHHHHH ... *sighs* there's nothing I love more than getting a lot of reviews !!! ^_^ *bounces happily* 

**Kaen-chan :** Thanks for the lesson . O_O;;; _*fidgets*_ that makes sense ... although I wouldn't want to think of it as ... as ... *sweats* never mind . Hope the chappie didn't disappoint . I myself can't wait till the next exciting thing happens . Hope to see you until then ! ^.~

**Li the lewd :** Thanks for the heads up . I don't know any German save for the common Guten blah blah phrases . I just looked it up in my English-German dictionary . *LOL* Sorry . 

**NagiNaoeSchwarzsProdigy :** *LOL* You really cracked me up there ! You go and beat Crawfie up girl ! HE could be such an ass , I know . *winks* but of course , the fact that Ken is really kinky , I know better . *wonders why she let that little tidbit slip out* Yes , the KenxNagi (ish making use of the uke and seme information) is in the works ! Dontcha worry ! ^^;

**Shime :** O_O;;; Yes ... *is definitely wondering why she asked* Be a pervert ? But ... but *sputters* it's ot in my nature to be a perv !!! *protests* Unless it involves Ken and chocolate syrup , that is ! 

**Jenken :** *LOL* WE'll definitely find out ne ? I guess you'll get a bit of both , though I must warn you that there are quite a few violent BradxKen scenes up ahead ... meep ! *runs away and zips her lips* darn that old blabbermouth-ness .

**Mariki :** *LOL* It's hard to imagine a NagixKen ... thankfully you didn't put OmixKen . No effence meant to the fans of that pairing but the truth is , that's one pairing I can't stand ... even if the story's an awaful good one . ^^. Thankies !

**Anime Usagi :** *Laughs* He deserves it ! *roots for her beloved Kenken* go bite Crawfie some more darling !

**Veronika :** Thanks so much for the offer ! ^__^ I really appreciate the fact that you care ! I just might take you up on that proposition . I hope you don't mind if I'd e-mail you about stuff I don't understand . German is quite a difficult language especially since I know nothing about it ! ^^;

**Whisper Reilman :** *imagines Aya in fatigues and face paint*  ... whoa ! *falls to the floor and hits her head* Don't scare me like that ! *LOL* ^__^ Ken is a kiddie kind of man ! Or teen , in this case ! *LOL at the mittens* I dunno why I wrote that , but I thought I couldn't use kittens , it's getting a little cliché so I chose rabbits instead . Betcha you'll see those mittens around more . *rubs Whisper Reilman's head* Awww... did'ja hit your head when you fell ? ^__~ 

I'm really sorry to all the readers of Devil's Deceit ! I know I've been taking a loooong while to write it , but rest assured , a chappie's gonna be out within about a week . 

BTW , I'm posting the preview of 'Reflections through raindrops' with this chappie . 

It's a SchuxKen thingy , hope you like it ! (Just wrote it yesterday , so I'm hoping it doesn't suck that much) 


	7. Lost through the swirling snow

**R_M : Gomenasai ! Waaiii ! I know this chapter is sooo gonna disappoint you ! I'm really not good with transitions so this should pretty much explain why it sucks . It's gonna get better thou , I just hadta explain what happens so you won't get all confusedy about Ayan and Crawfie and Kennykenken . _*whaps her head against the wall*_ Sorry about the kiddy talk . I'm having a major malfunction today . (^.^);;;**

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He had to act quickly . If he lost sight of that damned Cadillac , he mightn't find their trail in the snow . 

He scanned his surroundings , racking his brains for something useful . 

He didn't go to the village much , which was the reason for his lack of knowledge concerning the place . 

He knew that most of the people there were poor . He also knew that they kept vehicles ready in case they get wind of a sudden or probably occupation . 

He stumbled through the nearest shack and grunted in satisfaction . 

It was an old motorcycle , yes , but a motorcycle nevertheless – and it was the best mode of transportation he could hope to find if he wanted to catch up with the Cadillac . His own bike would have gone faster if it hadn't broken down . 

Damn this blasted weather ! 

The key was still in the ignition , and without even bothering to jump on , he turned the ignition and revved the engine .

The motorcycle lurched forward . Like an experienced stunt rider , he recoiled his other leg and hoisted himself up on the seat .

The bike was in perfect condition and had been protected from the snow .

He geared up , building his speed . The Cadillac could be in the highway by now . He needed to find them . 

The engine buzzed as he roared through the air and landed on the slick highway / 

_Right or left ? _

He scanned the area , but the Cadillac was nowhere in sight . 

_Think , Dillon , think ! _

If the man was indeed SS , he'd be probably heading to Berlin – where the SS headquarters are .

He sent the bike into a tailspin and headed off to the left , satisfied when he saw the faintest of tire tracks just about the size of what the wheels of a Cadillac would have made . 

He'd find Ken sooner or later .

† † †

Crawford had been driving for nearly an hour now under the pounding snow . It was hellish outside , and the comfort of having a car with a roof was delightful . 

He wondered how the invisible sniper was faring .

He enjoyed the thought that the meddling sonuvabitch was probably rock-hard in a block of snow by now ... but he wouldn't put it past him to survive . 

The bastard was , Crawford had to admit , resourceful . He was smart – though not as smart as he himself , Bradley Crawford was , but smart enough to find some means of survival ... and perhaps even of finding them .

Berlin was almost in his reach . His luxurious mansion was now almost in his grasp . 

He heard a muffled sound from his right and realized that his persistent captive was now awake and very much furious ; attempting to wiggle out of his bonds . It was futile , of course , but it still amused him how the little rascal was so damned stubborn . 

Stubbornness was a quality he admired . 

The boy , Crawford now knew his name , bucked and kicked like a horse .

Crawford's hand throbbed , a painful reminder of the boy's earlier escapade , which he had not bothered to treat but instead had wrapped with his immaculate white handkerchief . 

Somehow , the boy had managed to shift his position , and the last of his kicks sent the gearshift dashing against the corner of its trail and snapping it in two . 

The Cadillac spun crazily around like a toy top , around and around , spreading everything into a wild blur . 

Crawford grabbed the wheel in a desperate attempt to steady the vehicle , barely succeeding . 

The car had finally been fished from its revolution and with some semblance of normalcy ,  wobbled through the road . 

Crawford's eyes flashed . Without warning , he sent the boy reeling with a powerful backslap . " Do not forget , child . _I am master ._" He said softly – his voice was devoid of emotion , but the coolness and the emotionlessness in his eyes conveyed his message perfectly  . 

Blood trickled from a large gash on the boy's cheek . 

Ah ! He had almost forgotten the SS ring he was wearing , he had cut open the boy's perfect skin .

He watched in pleasure as the red drop made its way to the boy's strong jaw and ignored the biting eyes as he turned his gaze back on the road . 

It was just as well , too much perfection would be sinful . 

He sighed as he continued down the road , going slowly ; for the stick shift had been replaced to first gear and the Cadillac continued its agonized crawl towards Berlin . 

† † †

**Kaen-chan : _*is tackled ... and glomped ... topples on the floor*_ Maah ... _*rubs her head . LOL*_ Really ? _*jumps up and down*_ waii ! So you mean Crawfie isn't OOC ? ^__^ _*is happy*_**

**Jenken : Oooh ! You have German lessons in school ?! _*envies ; stubs her toe*_ Yesssss ! A fellow anti- (you-know-who)x(you-know-who) !!!! I really don't understand how people can stand them together ? Just the thought of it makes me wanna swoon in ... in ... ewww ... O,O;;**

**NagiNaoeShwarzsProdigy : _*LOL*_ Aya can be a little dense ne ? And I was thinking that he was smart . Boy was I wrong ? Or maybe , he's smart but he's just dense ? Or maybe , he's not really dense **

**Mariki : _*nodsnods*_ We can make our own anti-(you-know-who)x(you-know-who) club ._ *points to Jenken - nodnod* _Hmmmm ... I don't see much of the FarfxKen – in fact , I don't see much of any Farf x Anyone at all . But the last FarfxKen I read was ok . I didn't barf or anything ... not unlike the ... EWWWWWWW ! O#O;;**

**Mystique Monique AKA Mina : _*pseudo-creepy accent* _Veeeellllkommmm tooo our tvisssted vorld . Vouuuld you like sohm friez vith themmm ? Bwahahahaha ! just kidding . ^_~**


	8. New prison , new captor

They had arrived in Berlin before the land was completely engulfed in darkness . The storm still raged angrily , swirling around the sleek , snow-covered car , but at least , as they approached the city , street lights had been erected to guide the soldiers with their large trucks and their thousands of captives . 

Not that he cared for _those_ captives .

Crawford glanced at the boy who during the long ride had fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion – which suited Crawford fine , for when asleep , the boy could no longer interfere with his driving nor could he try to throw himself out of the car , which he had indeed tried earlier that day ... twice ; until Crawford slapped him again and jarred him out of his irrationality . 

The SS headquarters' compound loomed from seemingly out of nowhere ; magically appearing from the curtain of snow and ice , armed sentries waved him inside with reverential nods . 

He had his own quarters at the largest building , furnished with all his requirements , but he had not counted on bringing someone along with him ... 

Perhaps he should move to his house near the mountains and have a vacation with his new plaything ... he wouldn't be missed until the Fuhrer asks for him , which would not be too soon . The Fuhrer was probably far too preoccupied with the Americans joining that war to take notice of a missing SS platoon and certain Brad Crawford .

He smiled . 

Yes , he deserved a little vacation in his secluded cabin ; perhaps for a week or two . That was ample time for him to enjoy his new plaything .

He pulled his car to a stop in front of the imposing stone building , which towered over them from seemingly out of nowhere . The swirling snow and sleet acted as curtain to conceal this ominous structure . 

Soldiers scurried from inside and braved the biting cold to greet their ranking leader with a salute ; at the head of the group was a white-haired Irishman with one eye .

" Guten abend , Herr Crawford ." He said , saluting smartly , despite the snow nipping at angrily his nose . 

Crawford looked at him approvingly . At his late twenties , Farfarello was his most trusted assistant . A truant from the IRA , he had gone to Germany in search of bigger challenges at the start of the war .

Crawford glanced at Ken , huddled inside the car and Farfarello obeyed the unspoken command by picking up the boy easily in his arms and heading back inside the building . 

Crawford barely threw his abandoned car a glance as he strode after the man , knowing that the young cadets would soon be crawling all over the place to clean it up . 

Farfarello threw him a questioning glance as he strode through the crowded hallways of the SS Berlin headquarters . All SS soldiers , both young and old gave way to the highest-ranking officer who was preceded by his captain . 

Dubious looks were thrown everywhere , presumably meant as quiet messages but Crawford caught them and disregarded it . 

" An empty cell ." He said quietly , before detaching himself from the queue of saluting soldiers and departed for his room . 

The boy would be sent for later , until then , appearances should be kept and none should know about his intentions until he could safely spirit him away to one of his private cabins .

Farfarello complied , studying the sleeping boy in his arms . What could have possessed his normally ethical commanding officer to abduct a young boy and bring him to HQ ? 

He was good-looking enough , with promise of improvement , his face , though creased with pain , it was one of a strong-willed person . Farfarello recognized strength when he saw it .

He brought the boy to one of the many unoccupied cells in the basement of the building . Ever since the war began , prisoners had been rarely kept there . The SS thought it better to send all offenders to labor camps , or worse – to death camps . 

He gave a feral grin as he closed the heavy metal door ; if Crawford had really intended to keep him then ... it would mean that Farfarello would be employed to – 

He gave a loud manic laugh as he strode back into the main building , towards Herr Crawford's chambers . 

                                                          † † †

The cold seeped in through his pores , crawling under his skin like a raging disease . His body convulsed on the hard wooden bunk as he opened his heavy eyes , his teeth chattering uncontrollably . 

The first sensation that assaulted him aside from the cold was a mad pain ; combating the chill was a raging , burning throbbing of his injured leg and his face where the skin had broken open from Crawford's assault that morning .

_Morning ? _

_Had it been just less than twenty-four hours ?_

His fingers touched the wound and was surprised to feel something like a gauze or cloth taped to his skin . His leg had already been properly bandaged as well . 

_Had Crawford ... ? _

He dismissed the thought . As of right now , his biggest problem was escaping his new prison . 

He staggered to his feet and scaled the narrow cell in the dark , trying to ignore the overwhelming stench that threatened to suffocate him , there was no way out . The only window to the outside was just a small round hole in the wall that one could not fit one's head in , and even so, thick metal bars had barred the window . Only the breadth of his hand passed through sideways could forward through the small space and only the thick swirling snow could completely enter the room . 

He frowned as another rack of coughs shook him and he gripped his arms to ignore the chill . He could not see a door ...

He stumbled towards the far wall and groped the rough wall for the passage that would mean freedom , but his fingers met only the resistance a cold , smooth wall of concrete . 

He was halfway across the room when a bright light blinded him .

Instinctively , he raised his hands to shield his eyes , his heart throbbing in anticipation . 

_Is it the American ? _

Somehow , the thought of the imposing man made him nervous , but there was no way in hell that he was going to give him the satisfaction . 

He raised his head , ignoring the blinding radiance and gave a defiant scowl . 

_The bastard . _

_/Oooh , such a potty mouth , are you ?/ _

Ken frowned . Had he really heard that ?

_/ No you didn't . But I'm talking to you , kiddo ./_

What the ...? 

His scowl turned into a look of suspicion as he squinted to  get a clear view of the figure in front of him . 

The build was smaller , barely spanning the height of the American but certainly taller than he . Bright orange hair gleamed from the illumination from the doorway .

" Who are you ?" He called out , his teeth chattering from the cold . 

He really hadn't expected an answer and he narrowed his eyes when he got one . 

_/ Schuldich /_ Came the reply . _/ Let's go kid , Herr Crawford is waiting for you /_

" No ! I'm not going to ! You have to kill me first !" He yelled . He backed off towards the edge of the room , determined to give a fight if 'Schuldich' persisted . He was going to kill him if need be ; even with his bare hands . 

A laugh echoed throughout the room . It was one of derisive amusement . 

Finally , a voice spoke out . " I don't think you can do that , Ken ." His voice was nasal , odd-sounding to Ken's ears . 

He stared , jolted at the mention of his name . " How do you know my name ?" 

" I just know . " The man answered . " You can't hide anything from me ." 

Ken caught the flash of white teeth as the man bared his teeth in a smirk . Finally he was able to glimpse the man's features . 

It was smooth and a bit elongated , with fine curves of his nose and chin . His face was so unlike Crawford's angular one and he showed a little bit emotion ; a far cry from the American's stoic mask of ice . 

The man who called himself Schuldich – _Guilty ? What kind of name is that_ ? – tossed him the thick clothes he had been wearing just that morning and donned it quickly , eager to ward off the chill . 

He eyed the fully open door , briefly debating with himself to make an escape from the building but the redhead soon spoke , with his back turned on the newly-arrived captive . " You won't reach the road alive , Ken . There are armed sentries everywhere . The best chance you have is to wait it out ..." the man hesitated . " With Crawford ." 

" Why did he have to take me ? Why didn't he kill me instead like he did with ..." 

His voice cracked at the sudden unbidden thought of Omi , sprawled on the snow with blood streaking the pristine white . 

Schuldich didn't reply and instead approached him slowly , his arms stretched forward .

Ken pressed himself further against the wall , gritting his teeth . He was going to get out or he was going to die . There was no way that he was going to let them play with his life . 

Suddenly , without warning , he bolted towards the right towards the open door , but a hand lashed equally swiftly and latched on to his wrist with a firm , vise-like grip . 

He didn't really understand what had happened next . Only that his knees buckled from under him and he was slowly being carried away .

He could hear loud voices talking , raucous laughter and snippets of conversation from among the soldiers they had passed and then the voice of Schuldich ringing in his head , saying : _/Don't try anything you might regret , Ken / _, before the hazy colors of consciousness blackened out completely . 

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**REDEMPTION :  Sorrrrrry for the long update ! You know how it is when life just ties you with a leash . Y__Y**

**Shime : Ah , new character introduced . ^__^ This should make the story a liiitttle bit more INTERESTING ! *bwahahahaha* **

**Mariki : Ken will always be perfect even if that bastard Crawford , hurts him _*stick out tongue at Crawfie*  _WHO IS KUROE ??? O__O (Who's the 'leader' of the Crashers? the guy in white ? The cutie ? The one I saw in Gluhen ep 12 ? Would you know ?) Tell me PLEASE ! ^__^**

**Kaen-chan : _*lol* _Stupid Crawfie . _*kicks Crawford on the head*_ that's what you get for messing with Kenken !**

**Marsupial : _*__bows*_ Arigatou ! Glad to see you here ! ^__^**

**Genki no Kitsune : Hai ! Hai ! _*cowers and runs off to update*_**


End file.
